WORCESTER’s MP Robin Walker has welcomed new figures which show unemployment in the city has fallen to a near record low of 1.5 per cent.
The jobless figure for August in Worcester stands at 975 – 90 lower than the same time last year, and a 62 per cent drop since 2010 when Mr Walker was first elected MP.
Youth unemployment also continues to fall with 55 fewer claimants aged 18-24 than at the same point in 2016.
Figures both locally and nationally have been driven by increases in full-time and permanent work. In the last year there has been a shift from part-time to full-time employment with 20,000 fewer people nationwide now relying on zero hour contracts.
According to the figures, the UK has the third highest employment rate in the G7 and the number of people in work has increased by more than three million since 2010
Mr Walker said he was pleased by the continued fall in unemployment in Worcester and praised city organisations for helping people to gain the skills and confidence required to get back into work.
“On a recent visit to Worcester Community Trust I met with their job coach Mark Steadman and was pleased to hear of his project work offering tailored 1-to-1 support to the long-term unemployed and those who have previously faced barriers to employment,” he said.
“Among these latest figures I particularly welcome the increasing shift from part-time to full-time employment.
“These figures show that employment prospects are improving across all job markets and for all those seeking work, from young people and those over 50, to lone parents – 68 per cent of whom are now in work, a record high.”
Employment Minister Damien Hinds MP said: “The strength of the economy is helping people of all ages find work, from someone starting their first job after leaving education, to those who might be starting a new career later in life.
“Britain’s employment success is largely about a growth in full-time and permanent work, as employers invest in Britain and offer quality job opportunities that put more money into people’s pockets.”
